「うるう秒」、来年5月でなくなることに

Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is October seventeenth. The world has decided to stop adding the extra second called a leap second to our clocks. Let's listen.

Now let's break it down.

The leap second, used to keep clocks matched with time, is going to disappear.

It means a clock or a watch.

It means to match, or to set to the same.

On October fifteenth, there was a big meeting in France, and countries around the world decided this.

It means a meeting or a conference.

It means to decide.

Leap seconds will end on May twentieth next year.

It means next year.

The speed at which the Earth turns can change little by little.

It means the Earth.

It means to turn or to spin.

It means speed.

Because of that, clock time and Earth time drift apart a little.

It means to drift or to be out of line.

To fix this gap, one second has been added to clocks twenty-seven times since nineteen seventy-two.

It means to fix or correct.

It means to add.

But suddenly adding one second can cause trouble for computer and communication systems.

It means suddenly.

It means to be in trouble.

In twenty twelve, internet services in Japan also had problems.

It means a problem.

From now on, clocks will not need fixing until the gap reaches one hour.

So it is thought that clocks will not need fixing for the next several hundred years.

It means need, or necessary.

It means to think.

Now listen to the full story again.

Quiz time. Listen and answer.

On May twentieth next year.

Twenty-seven times.

Computer and communication systems.

Until the gap reaches one hour.

That's all for this morning. Thanks for listening. See you next time.